It is not common to see couples with wide age gap. However, we witness public figures to the private ones, even our friends, with couples either way too older or younger than they are. Some are over a decade apart, and some are even two or three decades apart in age, all of which pique our interest due to the unique nature of these relationships. Given the disparity of age, do these relationships work?
There are many issues related to the older-younger person relationship. It’s no wonder that many people believe these relationships will just not last.
1. Interests. A person who is ten years younger would have not experienced the things the older person has. At their different stages in life, they would have different priorities and different levels of wants and needs.
When these couples marry it is inevitable that they will have to learn how to compromise or else the marriage might not work out. While the younger person might feel he or she has to grow up faster than normal, the older party might feel disinterested in the activities of the other.
2. Impression of their partner. The young partner may consider the older one as aged and pass.
The older partner, on the other hand, may find the young one a juvenile. The relationship mimics that of an offspring and parent relationship. A weak relationship that is bound to break eventually.
On the contrary, if the couple share the same interest and understanding, they have a good chance of making the relationship work even if the couple’s age gap is far apart. To strengthen further their bond, they have to learn to be independent from each other while loving each other with mutual respect as matured persons, not in a filial way, but as adults sharing a mutual affection of each other.
The age gap will no longer be an issue once the other people watching the couple appreciating one’s difference, while being independent and respecting each other. In due time, the gap will reduce to nothing.